Door handling mechanism



Nov. 22, 1938. E. w. scH-:LLENTRAGER 2,137,763

DOOR HANDLING MECHANISM l Filed oct. 21, 1936 FIG. l

v IzlvVENToR EUGENE W, SCHELLENTRAGER Patented Nov. 22, 1938 PATENT oFFIcr-i DOOR HANDLING MECHANISM Eugene W. Schellentrager, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assigner to The Atlas Bolt & Screw Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 21,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to door handling mechanism, such as is used for the doors of coke ovens and the like at the time of emptying and relling the oven. The object of the invention is to pro- A vide improved door handling mechanism which is l always self-adapting tothe door when in place in the door frame at the oven opening, and whether the door is tilted or straight; which mechanism seizes the door in whatever position it may occupy, clamps it immovably to the door handling mechanism, removes it, and restores it to place in exactly its original position; and which mechanism provides an unusually powerful door holding effect, so that the door position cannot be disturbed` to any extent while it is out of the door frame and supported by the door handling mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved door handling mechanism including a tilting or swinging head provided with door lifting means, said head depending from its upper end where it is provided with a roller member which cooperates with another roller member at the bottom or free swinging lower end of the head for engagement with the door to shift the head into proper door receiving position, all as will appear more fully hereafter.

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

In the drawing, which represents one suitable embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a detailed elevation, partly broken out to expose interior parts; and Fig. 2 is a plan view, the upper lifting hook and shaft being omitted.

The door handling mechanism forming the subject matter of the present invention includes a head member provided with door lifting means supported on a car travelling back and forth along the battery of ovens so that it can be brought into registration with any one thereof, and also movable toward and from the oven door so that it can be manipulated for removing or replacing the door. The said head may be suitably mounted in any desirable manner for accomplishing the motions described. In some cases the head is carried on its own individual car which supports the operating mechanism. In other instances the head is carried on a larger car carrying other elements, such as the coke pusher. In either case the head is mounted on a suitable carriage for the purposes described.

In the drawing, a simple form of the invention has been chosen for illustration. I represents the oven door, usually twelve feet or so in height and one or two feet wide. It is a metal door of ordinary form, is usually faced with refractory material, and is quite heavy. Said door is accurately shaped to fit the door opening in the frame, marked 2. The door is inserted by pushing it 1936, Serial No. 106,731

horizontally into position in the door frame and is removed by reverse motion. When in place it is held by suitable latching devices (not shown) and for removing it it is usually provided with horizontally extending cross bars shown at 3 and adapted to be engaged by the door lifting means.

While the fit or engagement between the door and its frame vis accurate, nevertheless, in the original construction of the ovens the frame may not be exactly vertical. It may be tilted or inclined in one direction or vthe other, or, even if the frame is originally installed in a truly vertical position, it may become tilted or inclined after considerable use. The present invention aims to provide door handling mechanism which properly manipulates the door even if it-is` inclined and which always restores it to its frame in exactly the same position which it occupied before removal.

The door handling mechanism includes a car 4 travelling back and forth along the front of the battery of ovens, for which purpose it is provided` with suitable driving mechanism (not shown) for wheels 5 travelling on the rails 6. On said car is mounted a carrier forthe door handling mechanism, either a long reciprocating bar or beam similar to that used for the coke pusher, or a simpler form of device, such:` as the carriage marked generally 'I provided with wheels 8 travelling upon transverse rails 9 on thecar 4, the carriage being provided with suitable means for reciprocating it, such as power driving means (not shown), connected to driven gear I0 -on a shaft I I provided with an arm I2 connected by alinkl 3 to the carriage l. Link I3 preferably includes a yielding compression spring I3a so that said link will yield and lengthen upon solid impactof the carriage with the door, for absorbing shock and jar and preventing possible breakage or injury. By rotation of the shaft `I I the carriage 'I and all parts supported upon it are moved toward or from the door with which the mechanism has been registered by properly positioning the. car 4- on the track rails Ii.

The carriage 'I shown in the drawing is provided With supporting means for the door handling mechanism, such as a rigid mast or pillar including rigid spaced side members I4 attached to the carriage and having their upper portions inclined toward the oven doors, as shown. Between the side members of the mast is mounted the head I5, which may be made of castings or structural steel members in any desirable form. Said head is mounted to depend and swingfrom a shaft I6 mounted at the upper end of the mast I4, for which purpose it is provided with ears I4a journalled on the shaft. Also journalled on said shaft and concentric with it is a roller member I'I. At the lower end of the head I5.is another roller member I8 mounted in brackets or supports I9.

The parts are so arranged that before the door is engaged and when the head I5 is released from braking or holding effect, as will later appear, roller I8 occupies a position advanced beyond the position of the upper roller I1. In other words, it lies nearer to the door. This effect may be produced by proper balancing of the head I5, such as by proper shaping of its parts or distribution of the metal thereof, or by the use of a yieldable means for the purpose, such as a compression spring 20 suitably supported and extending from the back of the head to an adjacent portion of the mast I4. Usually a bolt or rod 28a connects the head and mast to limit swinging motion of the head toward the door.

Head I5 carries suitable door lifting members, such as the hooks 2I, both pivotally mounted in the head I5, the upper hook at 22 and the lower hook at 23. Said hooks are connected by a link 24 so that they move and may be operated together or as a unit. In the form shown shaft 22, which is journalled in the head I5 and has the upper hook 2I attached to it, is provided with arms 25 connected by links 26 to cranks 21 operated by a power source, such as the electric motor 28 mounted on the stationary mast I4. The head I5 and hooks 2I swing between the side members of mast I4, shaft 22 passing through elongated openings 29 in the mast side members and the arm 25 lying outside of the mast. Of course, swinging motion of head I5 with the cranks 21 stationary produces some slight motion of the hooks 2|, but such motion is negligible and may be disregarded.

Hooks 2| are designed to engage beneath the lifting bars 3 on the door, before referred to, as will be readily understood.

In operation the car 4 is moved along rails 6 to register its door handling mechanism with a particular door. The shaft II is then rotated to advance the carriage 1 toward the doo'r. As it approaches the door the lower roller I8 engages a lower abutment in the form of a cross bar 30a fastened to the door, at which time roller I1 is in the full line position, Fig. 1, and has not yet reached the door. Further motion to- Ward the door of the carriage 1 causes swinging motion of head I5 to the right or counterclockwise in Fig. 1 about the axis of shaft I 6, until finally roller I1 engages the upper door abutment 38. Any shock or jar upon engagement is absorbed by the spring I 3a. In the normal position of head I5, with both rollers I1, I8 out of engagement with the door, the amount of projection of roller I8 beyond roller I1 is greater than the maximum inclination of the door when its top is tilted outwardly or to the right in Fig. 1, encountered in practice. Moreover, the amount of permitted retreat or swinging motion of the lower end of head I5 upon engagement with the door and taken up by compression of spring 20 1s great enough to take account of maximum tilt of the door in cases where its top is tilted backwardly or to the left in Fig. 1. Therefore, the described swinging or pendant motion of head I5 always permits said head to accommodate itself to the coke oven door whatever be its position, whether tilted to the right or tilted to the left in Fig. 1 until, in the home position, both rollers I1 and I8 engage their respective abutments 30, 30a on the door.

The mechanism is also provided with means for firmly and solidly clamping or holding the door receiving head I5 in that position in which it receives the doorV and to which it has been adjusted in the manner before stated. Any suitable means may be utilized for the purpose, the drawing showing a rack bar member 3I pivotally connected at 32 to the lower end of head I5 and engaging the teeth of a pinion 33 on a shaft 34 carrying a brake drum 35 cooperating with a brake band 36 actuated by a lever 31 pivoted in the mast I4 and connected to any suitable operating mechanism, either manually operated parts or power operated parts. The drawing shows lever 31 connected by a yieldable link 38 to one arm of a lever 39 pivoted in head I5, the other arm of which lever is connected to a reciproeating bar 40 provided with rack teeth 45 engaging the teeth of a ,pinion 46 driven by a motor 41 mounted on the head I5. The bar 40 is that which is usually employed for actuating the door latches (not shown) but may be any other bar adapted or specially provided for the purpose here involved.

Assuming that the door receiving head I5 has been adjusted or accommodated to a door in the manner before described, motor 28 is operated to lift the hooks 2I into supporting engagement with the cross bars 3 until the load of the door is fully accepted by said hooks and is taken off from the sill of the door frame. Head I5 and the door receiving hooks being now in the proper position and supporting the door before it has been moved from its position in the door frame, the head is now clamped in its position on the frame by operation of motor 41 to move bar 48 downwardly, thereby applying the brake band 36 to the brake drum and preventing any rotation of pinion 33 or movement of the rack bar 3I. With the parts in this position shaft II is now operated to move the carriage 1 to the right in Fig. l. Usually the rails 9 upon which wheels 8 travel have a short inclined portion 50 at their front ends, so that during the rst rearward motion of carriage 1 the door is Aslightly elevated to prevent its lower end from dragging along the door sill. Carriage 1 is moved back far enough` so that the door will clear the buck stays, whereupon the oven is emptied and the door is again registered with the oven. By advancing carriage 1 the door may be moved back into its position in the frame with the assurance that it is returned in exactly the same position which it occupied before it was removed. That is true whatever was the original position and whatever the amount of tilt, if any. The oven is now recharged.

The same mechanism may be utilized in turn upon a series of doors tilted to different amounts and even inclined in opposite directions, with the assurance that each door is always returned to its frame in such position as to accurately t around its entire periphery and with a consequent tight seal.

By swinging the head I5 from its upper end the motion of rack 3I and the amount of rotation of brake drum 35 are increased to a maximum, so that the braking effect of the brake band is considerably more effective than when the motion of the head is less. Also, by mounting roller I1 with its axis concentric with that of the head I5, said roller is immovable with respect to the carriage 1 and the lower roller I8 alone moves. The construction therefore is simpler than when both rollers move with respect to the carriage. Other advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. Oven door handling mechanism of the character described, comprising a carrier movable toward and from the oven, a pendular head pivotally mounted on the carrier so that its lower end swings toward and from the door, said head being provided with upper and lower abutments, the former near the pivotal axis and the latter below the same, said head being biased to always tend to move to a normal position with said lower abutment advanced beyond the upper abutment, whereby upon advance of said carrier the lower abutment first engages the door and the head then swings upon its axis until the upper abutment engages the door, means for securing the head immovable upon the carrier in position with both abutments engaging the door, and door lifting means on the head, whereby with the lifting means and both abutments engaging the door and with the head immovable upon the carrier the door may be withdrawn from and replaced in the door opening by movement of the carrier but without disturbing the relation between the door and carrier.

2. Oven door handling mechanism of the character described, comprising a carrier movable toward and from the o-ven, a pendular head pivotally mounted on the carrier so that its lower end swings toward and from the door, said head being provided with upper and lower abutments, the former near the pivotal axis and the latter below the same, said head being biased to always tend to move to a normal position with said lower abutment advanced beyond the upper abutment, whereby upon advance of said carrier the lower abutment first engages the door and the head then swings upon its axis until the upper abutment engages the door, a member movably mounted on the carrier and actuated by said head, means adapted when operated to become eifectiv'e upon said member to hold the same and said head immovable upon the carrier, and door lifting means on the head, whereby with the lifting means and both abutments engaging the door and with the head immovable upon the carrier the door may be withdrawn from and replaced in the door opening by movement of the carrier but without disturbing the relation between the door and carrier.

3. Oven door handling mechanism of the character described, comprising a carrier movable `toward and from the oven, a pendular head pivotally mounted on the carrier so that its lower end swings toward and from the door, said head being provided with upper and lower abutments, the former near the pivotal axis and the latter below the same, said head being biased to always tend to move to a normal position with said lower abutment advanced beyond the upper abutment, whereby upon advance of said carrier the lower abutment rst engages the door and the head then swings upon its axis until the upper abutment engages the door, a rotatable member operated by swinging movement of said head, brake means on the carrier adapted when operated to become effective upon said rotatable member for holding the same and said head immovable upon the carrier, and door lifting means on the head, whereby with the lifting means and both abutments engaging the door and with the head immovable upon the carrier the door may be withdrawn from and replaced in the door opening by movement of the carrier but without disturbing the relation between the door and carrier.

said carrier to depend from and vswing about a horizontal axis and provided with an upper roller abutment turning on said axis and with a lower abutment near its swinging lower end, said abutments being adapted to engage the door, said head being biased to always tend to move to a normal position with said lower abutment advanced beyond the upper abutment, whereby upon advance of said carrier toward the door the advanced lower abutment first engages the door and the head then swings upon its axis until the roller abutment engages the door, means for securing the head immovable upon the carrier in position with both abutments engaging the door, and door lifting means on the head, whereby with the lifting means and both abutments engaging the door and with the head immovable upon the carrier the door may be withdrawn from and replaced in the door opening by movement of the carrier but without disturbing the relation between the door and carrier.

5`. Oven door handling mechanism of the character described, comprising a carrier movable toward and from the oven, a head mounted on said carrier to depend from and swing about a h-orizontal axis and provided with an upper roller abutment turning on said axis and with a lower abutment near its swinging lower end, said abutments being adapted to engage the door, said head being biased to always tend to move to a normal position with said lower abutment advanced beyond the upper abutment, whereby upon advance of said carrier toward the door the advanced lower abutment rst engages the door and the head then swings upon its axis until the roller abutment engages the door, a member movably mounted on the carrier and actuated by said head, means adapted when operated to become effective upon said member to hold the same and said head immovable upon the carrier, and door lifting means on the head, whereby with the lifting means and both abutments engaging the door and with the head immovable upon the carrier the doo-r may be withdrawn from and replaced in the door opening by movement of the carrier but without disturbing the relation between the door and carrier.

6. Oven door handling mechanism of the character described, comprising a carrier movable toward and from the oven, a head mounted on said carrier to depend from and swing about a horizontal axis and provided with an upper roller abutment turning on said axis and with a lower abutment near its swinging lower end, said abutments being adapted to engage the door, said head being biased to always tend to move to a normal position with said lower abutment advanced beyond the upper abutment, whereby upon advance of said carrier toward the door the advanced lower abutment rst engages the door and the head then swings upon its axis until the roller abutment engages the door, a rotatable member operated by swinging movement of said head, brake means on the carrier adapted when operated to become effective upon said rotatable member for holding the same and said head immovable upon the carrier, and door lifting means on the head, whereby with the lifting means and both abutments engaging the door and with the head l immovable upon the carrier the door may be withdrawn from and replaced in the door opening by movement of the carrier but without disturb' ing the relation between the door and carrier.

EUGENE W. SCHELLEN'IRAGER. 

